Jeff Winger wandered aimlessly.
It wasn't often that he did. But it wasn't often that he was this far in his own head.
Today he had gained a deeper appreciation for Abed. He had told his friends how much he cared about them. And he had somehow come to terms with the reality of life after Greendale. And then had an amazing little party to celebrate his achievement.
It was a banner day if ever there was one. And thanks to Annie, there had indeed been a banner.
But that had been hours ago, and it wasn't without some sadness in his heart that he walked, saying goodbye to the place that been the cocoon to his butterfly these last few years. He finally liked the person he had become after all that time.
As he turned the dimly lit hall in the library that led to the study room, he allowed his mind to drift back to the first time he'd laid eyes on the people he now called family.
He never thought he'd get along with Shirley. She seemed so cloying at first. Almost saccharine-sweet. And then there had been this whole other layer to her. This… realness. And despite their all history, a certain trip to a certain town included, Shirley probably understood him more than anyone else in the group. She became a sister to him.
Abed. He had always meant what he said about Abed being a shaman. He had an affinity for the guy that sometimes baffled him. And yeah, the way he connected to other people was odd, and he could be extremely difficult to get along with sometimes. But his ability to read people and see into their motivations… He became a confidant to him.
Jeff liked Pierce more than he would ever let on. Ever. Pierce, out of touch though he was. Casually racist, forgetful, desperate, and terrified of being left out… There was a goodness and warmth in Pierce that would sneak out from time to time and absolutely blow his mind. Pierce was an episode of Family Guy. He spent so much time being obnoxious and overbearing. But every once in a while, he would deliver like few others could.
This was Britta's year. She finally clued in to the fact that she was her own worst enemy. She had her first real relationship, maybe ever. Even if it didn't end perfectly (and really, do they ever?). And she had been instrumental in his reunion with his dad, and for as lousy as that went, the catharsis that came from it was something he'd needed years ago. If Jeff was honest with himself, he'd admit that he'd never had a more annoying friend in Britta. But if he was honest with himself, he'd also admit that Britta was one of the best people on the planet.
He honestly liked Troy. Really, from the start. That had no small amount to do with the degree to which Troy looked up to him. And then Troy just sort of became awesome. Jeff admired his ability to seamlessly switch between child-like wonder and sober maturity. And Jeff often suspected that, without Troy, the group would have destroyed itself from within. He was the heart and soul of the group.
This brought him to Annie. As he pulled open the door to the darkened study room, he could still remember perfectly the first thing she had ever said to him.
"What board certifies a tutor?"